Let's Make Math Fun!

In today’s day in age, it is so common for students to walk into their math classroom and expect nothing more than a lecture with a homework assignment to go along with it. I, along with many others, have experienced this in my life. Day in and day out, we take notes on a PowerPoint the teacher has made and do an assignment straight from the textbook. Everyone can agree that this can get boring and repetitive, no matter how much you love math. This can create a very black and white environment for your students that is not promoting any creativity. Educators of Mathematics can have a powerful influence by making math FUN and may even give some students a newfound love for math.

There are many ways that educators can make your classroom setting more enjoyable for students. One important way is to share their passion. If you aren’t excited about what you are teaching, why should your students be? We can change the way our students talk about math just by setting an example. I have seen as well that using technology and media in your classroom can also keep your students engaged. By changing up the routine and providing them with something new, it can be a lot more exciting as a student and make the lesson that much more interesting. If we can connect the math to something that you know the students enjoy, they are more likely to buy in. Adding games, discussions, and real-life applications are all ways to keep things fresh and new. Having more discussions and friendly competitions in your classroom is also a great way for your students to get to know one-another. When a student is more comfortable with who is around them, they are more likely to speak up during class and not be afraid to ask questions.

Changing up the student’s perspective of “I hate math”, “math is boring”, and “I’ll never be good at math” is so important in order to create a positive environment in your classroom. If we are able to shift student’s mindsets into thinking that math actually can be fun we are able to set them up for more success in the future.